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FROM DARKNESS INTO LIGHT 

A RELIGIOUS PLAY, OF STREET LIFE 
AND IN THE SLUMS OF NEW 
YORK CITY. FIVE SCENES 




Written in Columbus City, Iowa, February 11, 1910 
BY CHARLES E. THOMAS 



Scene I 
On the Streets of New York City 

Billie de kid, a street boy of the 
Bowery about 14 years old. Rough 
clothing. Comes onto the stage 
from the right side. 

Blind Phil, a preacher, comes on 
the stage from the left side feeling his 
way very cautious with a cane. 

Billie stops and waits for the 
blind man and as he is passing^ takes 
a watch from his pocket. 

Mr. Mulligan, a policeman comes 
onto the stage from the right side 
and as Billie turns to go off stage 
[right side) he is met by Mr. Mulligan 
who takes hold of Billie by the arm. 

Mr. Mulligan. So your be afther 
being a thafe are ye? Well begoria 
I'll taclie yer a lesson. I'll take 3'er 
over to the Elizabeth street station 
and we will be hearing what yer has 
to say fer yerself— (he takes watch 
from Billie.) 

Blind Phil. What is the trouble 
my friends? 

Mulligan. The boy here was 
afther stalelng yer watch from yer 
pocket yer honor — (Gives Phil the 
watch.) 

Billie. Oh Mister! don't let dis 
cop runs me in. I am sorry dat I 
tried to swipe yer ticker. I only' 
wanted somethin' to eat. I thot I'^ 
could soak de ticker fer nufif fer me 
and me mudder to grub <>n till dad 
came back — onest injun mister — ever 
kid on de bowery will tell yer dat 
Billie de kid am on de square. 

Mulligan. Misther don't yer be 
afther belaveing him — he is one of 
the wurst thaves from the Battery to 
Harlem. Begoria I nose the ereizer 

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Phil. (To Mulligan) My friend, 
if you will allow me to, I would like 
to ask this boy what his name is and 
where he lives? 

Billie. Me name is Billie De Kid. 
I lives wherever me be, here on de 
Bower\% or down by the bridge or in 
City Hall Park or any old place — dat 
I am. Me Mudder lives at de corner 
of de Bowery and Bloom street. 

Phil. What do you do? 

Billie. Me shines shoes, sells de 
papers and does wot eber me gets to 
do. 

Phil. (To Mulligan) Kind Sir, 
will you please let me take the boy 
with me? I don't want him 
arrested. 

Mulligan. Begoria dis snoozer 
am a dead game tough — and a bad 
one to be afthur turning loose. 

Phil. Mr. officer I will be respon- 
sible for this boy — here is my card. 
(Hands Mulligan a card.) 

Mulligan. (Reads aloud.) 
Rev. Phillip Kline, No. 221 W. 
12th St. New York. 

Mulligan. I am afthur thinking 
that you don't know what you are 
doing in having this spalpeen released. 
Sure, I don't like this at all at all. 



Phil. Be merciful as 
expect mercy. 



ye may 



Mulligan. Well take the kid and 
may the best of luck be with you. 
(Mulligan goes off left side.) 
The boy and Phil goes off right side 



Curtain 
End of 1st Scene 



Scene II 

A poorly furnished room, a poor- 
ly dressed woman and little girl 
about 12 years old seated at a table 
eating only bread and potatoes. 

Nelle. (The woman) 

Sa\^ Sis Y don't you do as Billie 
does? He allers lirlngs in somethin' 
to help along. If yer swipe things 
from de rich guy? it am doing yer 
duty to yer dad and mudder. De 
rich am no rite to hab more den they 
need- It am our rite to take all dat 
we can get. 

Your daddy is now in de coop 
cause dat rich guv cused him of 
robbery when Jeems only took a 
lettle of all de riches dat that man 
has. 

Florence. Mother tell me to sell 
papers, to shine shoes, to beg on de 
streets, to scrub de floors or do any 
thing that is work but Mother, 
don't tell me to steal. I can not do 
what I know is wrong. Please don't 
ask me to do wrong. 

Nelle. (Very angry) Does zee 
tink dat yous are better den yor 
daddy or me am? Does you think 
dat you are better den your brother 
Billie de Kid? Nose your not. Billie 
de Kid is worth a dozen such things 
as yer. He onners his daddy and his 
mudder and he helps em to get grub 
that such as you can feed that onery 
face of yourn. Yous are not fit to 
lib in de same society as Billie DeKid. 

{Enters Billie left side) 

Billie. Mudder Ise got pinched 
ter night by dat smart cop Mulligan 
I just swijDed a ticker from a blind 
man ])reacher and was making m}' 



get away when Mulligan collared me 
and wot you think? Dat Blind Man 
tole de cop to let me go. He gave 
me dis past board and told me to go 
home to me mudder. (La\'s down 
card on table.) 

Nelle. And you didn't get de 
ticker? Well try again. Find some 
rich yap and get something that will 
pay yous. Keep 3^er eye on de cops, 
don't let dem bluff yer. I'll be out in 
a jiffy me self and 3'ous can bet that 
Nelle will bring in something wurse 
wile. 

Florence picks up the card reads 
it then puts it in her pocket. Billie 
sits at table and eats. 

Nelle. Sis here tinks she is too 
good to help us get wot we need from 
de rich guys. It don't blong to dem 
more den to us — dey never worked 
for wot dey got. Yous poor daddy 
is in Sing Sing now case he is poor 
and the man is rich who sent him 
there. If ever I caught dat yahoo in 
de right place he neber would send 
another poor man up— (she gets up 
to go and as she goes out she says) 
I goes over to Doyers street to meet 
a guy dat has de dough dat we need 
to get our bread wid — (she laughs.) 

Florence. Mother I would like to 
go to the Mission in Doyers street to 
hear more bout that Jesus thfit the 
little lady told me bout. 

Nelle. (angry) You can't go you 
lazy thing. Wot you mean an\' how? 
That hussey that talked to you told 
you lies. You would do better if you 
would do as me and Billie is going to 
do. Don't get that coco noggin of 
yours full of trash like that Salvation 
Armv hussevtole vou; sides vou can't 



go cas some of dem chinks der in 
China town would get you. but den 
he wouldn't get much. 

[Nell exit left side) 

Billie. So yous think dat woman 
tole you what is so wen she tole you 
that big story bout that feller Jesus? 

Florence. Yes, brother, I am sure 
she told me true and she told bout 
Heaven. The place we go wen we 
die if we are good and try to do 
right. 

Billie. I believe she lies cas wen 
we die, we only go to de hole in de 
ground. How can we go up to 
Heaven when we go down in de 
ground? 

Florence. I think the lady tole 
me wot is so and I want to go to the 
Mission°*to"^ have some one tell me 
more about Jesus and Heaven. 
The man you swiped the watch from 
tonight was a preacher. I want to 
see him. He can tell me bout Jesus. 

Billie. You kin see him if 3^ou 
want to but sure tell him dat Billie 
de Kid am a good boy, dat he neber 
swipe any thing — (aside) unless he 
gets a good chance. (Billie laughs.) 

Florence. I will not say that you 
never swipe any thing. I'll tell him 
that I want you to learn about Jesus 
and I'll ask him to tell me all about 
him so I can tell you, {Billie goes 
out left side.) 

Florence. I don't cate what thev 
all say. I believe that Jesus is good 
and he will help me if I find out how 
to ask'^him. O I do want to be 
good like the lady told me to be. 
End 2nd Scene 
Curtain down 



Scene III 

In Blind Phils Study. Carpet on 
floor, reading table, pictures on wall, 
easy chairs, etc. Phil has a large 
book on table to represent the blind 
bible. Phil repeats the 23rd Psalm 
as he repeats the last line a knock is 
heard off left side. 

Phil. Come in. 

(Enter Florence from left side) 
Goes up to opposite side ol table 
from Phil. 

Florence. My brother gave me 
3'our card telling where you lived. 
I come to ask you about Jesus. I 
want to know more about him. 

Phil. My dear girl, I'll l)e glad 
to tell you about Jesus but what 
made you think aliout him? 

Florence. One time last summer 
I was over to Chatham Scj[uare 
beggin when the Salvation Army 
came up to the corner where I was 
and began singing and telling about 
God and about Jesus and one little 
lady dressed in blue with a funny 
bonnet on come up to me and took 
hold of my hand and kissed r.ie and 
said, little girl do you know about 
Jesus? I tole her I did not. No one 
ever told me anvthing — then slie tole 
me a whole lot. She said if I would 
be good that Jesus would take me to 
Heaven and I would never have to 
beg or steal or do anything that was 
wicked, so ever since I have been try- 
ing to be good. I wont steal any 
more now nor I wont lie and I want 
to be good all the time. 

Phil. What is 3^our name? 

Florence. Florence Nolan is me 
name. Me father is Jcems, the Yeg- 



man. He is now on the Island doing 
time for robbing a man. Me Mitdder 
is Nelle who used to be dc Bowery 
Oueen and BilHe de Kid is me brother. 

Phil. Well Florence, I believe 
that Jesus sent you to me. Sit down 
and I'll tell you about him. {She 
sits down.) {He stands up by her and 
hivs his hand on her head.) Well, 
my dear, nearly 2000 years ago the 
world was very wicked so God con- 
cluded that he would give all men a 
chance to be redeemed — so he sent his 
only son on earth to teach the people 
how to live and how to do God's 
will. The people were very wicked 
and after Jesus, who was God's only 
son, had lived until he was about 33 
vears old, the people concluded to kill 
Him, so the}' got him and gave him a 
trial and condemned him to die on the 
cross. They nailed him to the cross 
and he died and they buried him and 
after three days He arose and now 
He is in Heaven with God and he 
knows all about us. He knows that 
you want to be good and He will help 
you. You can talk to Jesus and he 
will hear you and will help you do 
just as you want to do. All you 
have to do is to get down on your 
knees and tell Jesus just how you feel 
and ask him to help you. He never 
will fail you. 

Florence. Oh Mister, is that all 
true? Will Jesus help me do what I 
want to do? 

Phil. Jesus will help 3'ou to do 
just as you want to do, so long as 
you want to do right. 

Florence. {Clapping her hands 
and says) 

Oh Good\% goody, goody I am 
going to ask Jesus to help me get my 



father, mudder and brudder to know 
about Him and love Him, just as I 
love Him. Mister, wont you help 
me? Wont you ask Jesus to help me? 
Phil. Yes, my dear, I will help 
you and I think .that great good will 
come from our united efforts. 

End Scene Third 

Curtain 

Scene IV 

In Phils Study same as previous 
scene {a few changes in fixtures.) 
Phil reading his Bible. A knock at 
door. 

Phil. Come in. (And Nelle 
comes in on left side.) 

Nelle. And are ye the preacher? 

Phil. Yes Madam, I am a min- 
ister of the gospel. 

Nelle. My little sis has been 
tellin bout you. She was here about 
six months ago. She wanted to come 
again. I wouldn't let her cas I thot 
I didn't want her to hear bout your 
nonsense bout that feller Jesus. But 
Sis is sick now and she kept telling 
me to go and fine yous. Sc I got a 
kid to show me wer you lived. Sis 
had your address on a card and now 
I am here. Sis wants you to come to 
my house an see her. 

Phil. Where do you live? 

Nelle. At de corner of Bloom 
Street and de Bowery. 

Phil. Go and tell her that I'll be 
there as soon as I can. 



Nelle. Well 
purty sick. 



I'll hurry cas Sis is 



[She goes off left side and in a minute Florence. [Raises her head and 
returns.) takes hold Phills hand.) 



Nelle. Mr. preacher it is very 
dark and its raining an I don't know 
wich way to go to git home. I never 
was this far away from de Bowery 
before. My little sis is very sick an 
I expect her to die. De kid that show 
me the wav here has gone. Oh wot 
will me do? Me wants to see my 
little sis. Me has a feeling here dat 
hurts me. ( Places her hand over her 
heart.) 

Phil. My sister in trouble, if you 
v^ill allow a blind man to lead you 
I'll take you to the corner of Bloom 
street and the Bower}- to your home. 
The darkness makes no difference to 
me. I know the right way to go just 
follow me. {The blind man goes off 
the left side feeling his war with his 
cane, Nelle following.) 

End of Scene Four 
Curtain 



Scene V 

In Nells home — Same room as 
2nd Scene. A cheap cot with little 
Florence on it. Billie de Kid and 
Jeems, the Yegman, on the side facing 
audience and back part of stage. 
Back in the right hand corner is a 
cross about 6 foot tall and a black 
curtain in front of it so it is hid from 
sight. 

{Enters Phil and Nelle) Nelle takes 
seat near foot of cot. Phil goes up 
to Florence and lays his hand on her 
head. 

Phil. My little sister wanted me 
to come and see her. 



Oh I am so glad that \^ou come. 
Please tell me daddy and mudder bout 
Jesus for I am going to Jesus purty 
soon. 

Phil. Jesus is the best friend we 
ever had. He will take care of us if 
we only trust in Him. And when the 
time comes we will be ready to go 
to Him and live happy ever after- 
wards. There can be no trouble, no 
sorrow, no pain. All will be joy 
when we get to where Jesusis. Jesus 
can make the blind see for he says so 
in this wonderful book that he has 
given to the woi'ld as a guide. {He 
holds up the Bible and repeats Matt. 
20:29-34) and if you people here 
wants to see with new eyes so that 
you will understand all about our 
Lord Jesus who is the light of the 
world, all you will have to do is to 
have faith and trust in Him and you 
will receive lioht. Now, I am blind 
and cannot see the things of this 
world, yet I can see the beautiful 
things of the world where Jesus is 
and if you have a desire you may see 
the same beautiful things with the 
same strong light that I see them. 

Nelle. Mr. Preacher we are all 
too bad. Jesus would have noffin to 
do with us. 

Phil. This book which is the 
words of Jesus says that if you ac- 
cept Him and believe in Him you wnll 
be saved. 

Nelle. Jesus can't save me. I 
have done ever mean thing that any 
woman could do. I am past savin. 



Phil. Jesus says for God so loved 
the world that he <^ave his only be- 
gotten Son that whosoever bclieveth 
in Him should not perish but have 
everlasting life. 

Jeems. [Rising to his feet leaning 
forward holds out his hands towards 
Phil.) Dos yer mean ter say dat 
Jesus will save such a bloak as me. 
Me who has killed my feller man, me 
who has robbed, who has served time 
for doing all kinds of crime. Save 
me, who has turned many a trick dat 
has never been found out dat Ise the 
feller that done dejob. Mr. Preacher, 
I am Jeems the yegman, de pulice all 
no me. I have done many a job in 
dis city dat no one nose but I just got 
out of Sing Sing and if any cop from 
de Battery to Harlem got their glim- 
mers on me I would be a gonner cas 
dey wants me for a bad trick that I 
turned and they can prove gainst me. 
I'd hev to go to der Island fer ten 
years fer dis job. 

Phil. Though your sins were as 
scarlet Jesus will make them as white 
as snow\ When He was nailed to the 
cross he suffered for you as well as 
for me. Only accept him, then all 
things will come right. 

Florence (Raises her head and 
holds out her arms as though reach- 
for some one) there is Jesus he has 
come for me. how beautiful, ma 
ma, daddy, BilHe! Oh I wish that 
you all was ready to go. Good-bye! 
Good-bye! Come! Come! See the 
light! Come! 

[Lays back down) 

Nelle. [Raises to her feet) Oh 
Mr. Preacher, don't let her go. I 
can't give her up. There is a pain 
here. [Places her handover her heart) 



I guess I love my little sis. 

Phil. She has gone to Jesus and 
now is safe in his arms. If we believe 
in Jesus and trust in Him we will 
spend eternity with Him. {All kneel 
and Nearer niy^God to thee is sung by- 
six or eight girls behind cut tarn). 

Jeems. Mr. Preacher I think I 
am going to see dat light. I fefl as 
if I wanted Jesus to take care of me. 

Nelle. And I am willing to trust 
in Jesus. show me the w^ay. 

Billie ( Wiping his eyes and says 
in broken voice) Mr. Preacher I 
wan to go long wid de crowd. Sis 
has tole me nuff bout Jesus dat I 
want Ilim. I can see de light ahead. 
It has been all darkness in de past. 

[All still kneel wg) 

At this time the curtain before the 
cross is drawn back and there will be 
a girl about Florences age holding to 
the cross {Use a strong light) and 
leave this scene while the girls behind 
the curtain will sing Rock of Ages. 
As curtain is drawn back after the 
hymn is completed all rise to their 
feet. 

Nelle. Mr. preacher you have 
shown us de way from de past dark- 
ness to de future light. Now I want 
to tell you bout one thin dat Jeems 
and I done bout twelve years ago. 
We v^as working one of our games on 
Park Row an as v^e wus passin a 
store we saw a baby in a buggy. It 
was a boy bout two years old. 
Jeems an me took dat boy and got to 
our room. We raised dat boy. We 
showed him how to steal, to sw^ipe 
everything that he could, we showed 
him how to git things out of de rich 
guys pocket, and Jeems tole him how 



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to do de trick of pickin locks and 
crackin de cribs and how to hit de 
cops on der head in der right place so 
he could make his git away. Dat 
boy is BilHe de Kid. He is not our 
boy. {She points at Billie) Can we 
be forgiven for dat? 

Phil. [ very excited) Did the boy 
have any jewelry on him? 

Nelle. Yes he had a chain around 
his neck — we sold dat — but he had 
dis mettle fastened to de chain, 
[She hands Phil a medal about the 
size of a dollar) 

Phil. What does it say on this 
medal? 

Nelle. W. K. son of P. K. 

Phil. William ' Kline, son of 
PhilHp Kline. Thank God. He is my 
lost son. {Holds his arms out and 
Billie goes to him and Phil embraces 
him and holds him a moment. Billie 
acts as though crying.) 

Phil Twelve years ago] my son 
was stolen from my wife and^ I on 
Park Row. We hunted everywhere. 
We spent most all of our fortune that 
we had trying to find him. My 
good wife worried until she died less 
than two years after she lost the 
boy. I was left alone. A disease 
came to me and took away my sight. 
But praise the Lord Jesus came to 
me and gave me a new sight so I 
could see the new light. You ask if 
you and your husband can be for- 
given for taking this boy and doing 
as you have done, I will say that 




Jesus has ta 

as I expect 015 910 033 9 ^_ 

even this is forgiven against you. 
Out of the darkness of the past we 
are led into the new light of the 
future. 

The End 

These plays can be secured from C. 
E. Thomas the Author. Columbus, 
Citv, Iowa. 



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